True leaders don’t communicate organizational goals through grand speeches or catchy slogans. They do it quietly – by listening, gaining cooperation and satisfying others’ needs. Here’s how:
** Listen. Before explaining your objectives, ask questions to involve your employees. Start by asking: “What are your goals?” or “How would you prioritize our organizational goals?” Address signs of distrust or cynicism before you proceed.
** Gain their cooperation by presenting the goal in a way that means something to them, not you. Example: Ask “Would you be proud to work for an organization that’s #1 in our market?”
** Satisfy their needs. Weak leaders bask in their own glory. They use “I” or “My” too much, leaving others feeling excluded or less important. Strong leaders place their employees’ needs above their own by dignifying their suggestions and approving their requests whenever possible.
Presenting in a Meeting Meetings pose special challenges. Here are 5 tips that will help you be a star.
1. Know your audience. Talk in language attendees understand. If you go over their heads or talk down to them, you’ll lose them.
2. Welcome questions. Let them know that no question is “stupid.”
3. Be honest. If you’re discussing a serious problem, don’t gloss over it.
4. Stick to the point. Timing is everything. Stick to the agenda, make your points and don’t let the meeting drag on too long.
5. Leave em laughing. End routine meetings on a positive note by telling a joke or funny story. Even if you’ve been discussing something serious, people will leave feeling happy about their jobs.
Tips for More Effective E-mail Here are some tips to make electronic communication your ally:
** Solicit anonymous e-suggestions. Encourage employees to point out problems without fear of retaliation by creating an e-box that anyone can access using an outside e-mail address.
** Rely on e-mail for routine communication. Keep your messages to one paragraph. “Here’s what we’ll do. This is the contact person. We’ll follow up with you on Wednesday.” If you’re e-mailing back and forth on the same topic, it’s time to talk in person or by phone.
** Remain in control. E-mail makes it easy to communicate – sometimes a little too easy. Resist the impulse to fire off an angry message. You should never send an e-mail when you’re upset.
Add these ideas to your bag of skills and you’ll find that communicating within the workplace becomes much easier.
Kathleen OConnor is the owner of the OConnor Success System which provides professional growth programs for managers and entrepreneurs. To access our free resources, visit our website at http://www.OconnorSuccessSystem.com You can sign up there for your free 4-part mini-course on communication skills and a free subscription to our monthly e-zine, The Edge.
